Title: Understanding organisational metaphors to make sense of values and of obligation

Authors: Ofelia Palermo; Angelo Bisignano; Giuseppe Emanuele Adamo; Eduardo Carlos Dittmar; David López Jiménez

Addresses: Nottingham Business School, 50 Shakespeare St., Nottingham NG1 4FQ, UK ' EDHEC Business School, 393 Promenade des Anglais, 06202 Nice, France ' EAE Business School, 156 Príncipe de Vergara St., 28002 Madrid, Spain ' EAE Business School, 156 Príncipe de Vergara St., 28002 Madrid, Spain ' EAE Business School, 156 Príncipe de Vergara St., 28002 Madrid, Spain

Abstract: The paper focuses on organisational culture and values in small family businesses during intergenerational succession. Specifically, it analyses what metaphors characterise the organisational culture of the family firms and what values draw from this culture are taken forward during intergenerational succession. Following a multiple case study approach, the paper investigates a set of southern Italian family firms and the respective actors' understanding and interpretations of metaphors and values at the time of intergenerational succession. Findings highlight actors' predisposition to feel a strong sense of obligation shaping organisational life and suggest that processes of intergenerational succession might follow patterns situated within the boundaries of traditionally defined visions of family and society.

Keywords: organisational culture; values; metaphors; sense of obligation; small family business; intergenerational succession; organisational values.

DOI: 10.1504/IJWOE.2019.105800

International Journal of Work Organisation and Emotion, 2019 Vol.10 No.3, pp.246 - 261

Received: 20 Feb 2019
Accepted: 03 Nov 2019
Published online: 13 Mar 2020 *

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